Seasonal & Holidays
Year In Review: Doylestown's Top 10 Stories Of 2021
From the weird to the wonderful, the heartbreaking to the thought-provoking, let's take a walk down memory lane in Doylestown.
DOYLESTOWN, PA — Needless to say, 2021 has been quite the year. And while many probably can't wait to ring in the next one Friday night, it seems worth a look over our shoulders at this year's big headlines and important stories in Doylestown.
Remember when a local kid performed with Green Day, or when a Central Bucks student organized our town's first Diwali celebration? How about when a tornado took the roof off a local garden center?
Take a walk down Patch’s memory lane and look back on Doylestown’s 2021.
Find out what's happening in Doylestownfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Pink Shouts Out Alma Mater Central Bucks For Video Tribute
After the Central Bucks West High School choir performed Pink's "What About Us," the acclaimed pop star and alum took to Twitter.
Find out what's happening in Doylestownfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
"Mr. Ohrt was my high school choir teacher," she wrote. "His famous quote to me was 'Alecia, it’s NOT a solo', but I ❤️ this and it brought me to tears!!!!!! You all sound amazing and I’m totally overwhelmed with love."
Bucks Co. Pilot Killed In Plane Crash Was 'First-Class Gentleman'
Martin Sailer Jr., 79, was the pilot and sole occupant of a small plane that crashed in a wooded area this summer. He served in the navy and had a long career as a commercial pilot for Trans World Airlines — and he loved to bring friends and family along to soar the skies with him.
Central Bucks Student Held Diwali Celebration, Honored By Senator
This year, student Paree Pasi successfully petitioned her district to recognize Diwali as a school holiday, fundraised for Doylestown's first Diwali celebration, and hosted the event along with her school's Youth for Unity club.
"Paree's actions epitomized the message of Diwali, while at the same time giving all of us an example of how one person can make a difference," state senator Steve Santarsiero said.
Central Bucks Community Rallies Support For Teacher With ALS
On Bryan Rosica's 49th birthday in February, he awoke at sunrise to a parade of friends and neighbors driving by his home on Village Lane, including Cpl. Steve Thomas from the Buckingham Township Police Department and members of the Midway Fire Department.
The parade was a coordinated effort of his neighbors and co-workers at Buckingham Elementary School, who describe the longtime school counselor as generous, caring and selfless.
Ida Tears Through Garden Center In Furlong: Video
Froehlich's Farm and Garden Center was hit hard by the remnants of Hurricane Ida, with surveillance video capturing the storm as it tore through the region in September. High winds and heavy rain ripped plants from their display stands and scattered them across the parking lot.
Read the full story and see the footage.
Central Bucks Community Mourns Teen Killed In Post-Prom Crash
Nicholas Mannino, an 18-year-old from Pipersville, was traveling to the Poconos with three other friends when their vehicle lost control, overturned and struck several trees around 1:20 a.m., after their senior prom. The community has since rallied for "King Nick" with celebrations and fundraisers.
"While nothing can remove the pall that descends in a time of loss, we can wrap our arms around those affected in a show of support and strength," the school superintendent wrote to families.
Unvaccinated Doylestown Ex-Cardiac Chief Alleges Wrongful Firing
The former Medical Director and Chief of Cardiovascular Surgery at Doylestown Hospital, Joseph Auteri, launched a fundraiser in December saying he was wrongfully fired under the hospital's COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
In response, the hospital said he had been one of its "most highly-compensated employed physician[s]" and that his proposed legal action was "baseless."
Brynn Kremer had been playing guitar for only a year when Green Day frontman Billie Jo Armstrong picked the 14-year-old from Furlong out of the crowd to play one of the band's hits, quickly showing her the chords. She performed for thousands of fans at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.
"The Daily," a New York Times podcast that runs every morning and covers national and international stories of all kinds, focused a rare two-episode series on Central Bucks' school board meetings.
According to the Times, "the question of who sits on a school board has become a question about which version of America will prevail" — and our local district acts as a microcosm for the country.
Read the article and listen to the episodes.
Doylestown Health Breaks Ground On Children’s Village Center
Doylestown Health began construction on a new multi-use facility for the Children's Village Child Care Center, after the former daycare center of 35 years endured significant damage in a 2020 tornado. Following significant fundraising, the project is moving forward.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
